Chromebooks will now have android apps, Google said, confirming the rumors that have been floating around for some time now.

This is great news for everyone concerned: developers who will now be able to expand the reach of their applications, and users who have until now been restricted will soon be able to use all their favourite Android apps on their Chrome devices.

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Google Play Store on Chromebooks

The latest Chrome OS development channel version 53 enjoys the inclusion of the massive library of Android apps from Google Play Store. This means Chromebook owners will now have Android apps on their devices.

During Google’s official announcement of the arrival of Google Play Store on Chrome devices at the last Google I/O, it named three devices that will receive this new feature first – the ASUS Chromebook Flip, Acer Chromebook R11 and Google’s own Chromebook Pixel (2015).

But the recent update brought Android apps only to Asus Chromebook Flip, disappointing users of other Chromebooks. Good news is that the other two Chromebooks will also be getting Android apps very soon.

Even more exciting is the fact that most Chromebooks, Chromeboxes and Chromebases in the market will be Android friendly by 2017.

As proof of Google’s intentions to bring Android apps to the entire Chrome family, it has revealed a rollout timetable.

Google also specifically stated that not all Chromebooks will get Android apps officially.

Benefits For Developers

Google encourages developers to bring their Android apps to Chrome OS, as Chrome devices offer several advantages. Multiple Android apps can be used at the same time, along with a full desktop browser. Google also says that games and other performance demanding apps are excellent on Chrome. Users will also be sent Android app notifications on their devices. Google website lists several other advantages that developers of Android apps can take advantage of.

Android apps for the Asus Chromebook Flip are now available on the M53 dev channel. The next phase involves Android apps support to Acer Chromebook R11 and Google Chromebook Pixel (2015).

Comments

Disregarding games — which are admittedly unbelievably important to many people — Android brings Skype and a handful of other significant apps that similarly don’t really have adequate equivalents or substitutes in pure Chrome OS. Based on my experience with my own Chromebook Flip, both Google and developers have quite a lot of work to do before touting success. But most Android apps already run OK on Chrome OS. Primarily for reasons having to do with efficient use of resources, my personal preference will probably be to only load Android apps on my Chromebook if those apps clearly satisfy a need that I haven’t been able to otherwise meet.